Opportunities to Improve Effectiveness of Pollination of Blueberry CV. ‘Bluecrop’

Abstract

In the production of blueberries, pollination is a key factor determining high quality yield. Problems with the process of pollination in blueberries occurs frequently. Lack of the effective pollination results in a lower yield and production of small fruits with low commercial value. The experiment described in this paper was carried out to test the effect of titanium organic complex (TOC) on the pollination and fertilization processes, seed formation, fruit setting and fruit development of blueberry in two consecutive years. The experiment consisted of two experimental factors: pollination type (self or open pollination) and application of TOC or lack of it. The presented study proves that TOC stimulates pollen adhesion and germination on the stigma, fruit setting, seed setting and fruit development. In self-pollinated flowers, the use of TOC increased the mass of each berry by 28% (in the first year) and 26% (in the second year), compared to non-treated plants. In open pollinated flowers, the application of TOC increased fruit mass by 38% (in the first year) and 29% (in the second year), compared to non-treated plants. Therefore, TOC may be treated as a substance stimulating the total fruit yield and mass of individual fruit.

Physiological Mechanisms of Titanium Regulation of Growth, Photosynthesis, and Mineral Absorption in Tartary Buckwheat

“…), and blueberry (Vaccinium spp. ), resulting in increased fruit set rate and fruit yield [45][46][47]. However, further research is required to establish whether the application of titanium directly promotes crop pollination and fertilization.…”

Genotypic variation in blueberry flower morphology and nectar reward content affects pollinator attraction in a diverse breeding population

“…Morphological traits can also influence fruit set through the promotion of outcrossing, which is crucial for circumventing fruit abortion due to self-incompatibility or early-acting inbreeding depression (Rick and Dempsey, 1969; Levy et al, 1978; Krebs and Hancock, 1990). Blueberry flowers exhibit herkogamy, wherein the stigma’s location within the corolla and the distance between the stigma and anthers reduce the incidence of self-pollination (Drummond and Rowland, 2020; Bieniasz and Konieczny, 2022). In wild lowbush blueberry (V. angustifolium), style length and the exertion of the stigma beyond the corolla were positively correlated with berry weight and the number of seeds per berry (Sampson et al, 2013), suggesting these traits may be beneficial for pollinator attraction or pollination success.…”